Medicaid cuts will cost Oregon nearly $1.3 billion

By Julia Shumway | Editor

“Even with our best work, there are going to be people who lose coverage. We need to know that before we step into this.” — Oregon Health Authority interim director Fariborz Pakseresht, giving lawmakers a reality check about federal cuts to Medicaid.

Also in today's edition:

Campaign finance reform advocates try to circumvent Citizens United
States sue over endangered species protections
States argue mail voting rule would disenfranchise millions

And one more thing:

Scott Stoddard, the 59-year-old longtime editor of the Grants Pass Daily Courier, died earlier this week after battling a fatal brain cancer diagnosis. Scott’s commitment to journalism stayed strong despite the tumor wreaking havoc on his life, and his column from earlier this year about the experience is worth a read. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, coworkers and community.

News tips, feedback or questions? Email us at [email protected]

2025 GOP tax law will cost Oregon nearly $1.3B for Medicaid over next four years, officials say

By Shaanth Nanguneri

A stethoscope sits on money. Oregon lawmakers on Wednesday heard from state officials about the cost of the new federal tax and spending law Congress passed last year. (Stock photo by Getty Images)

Over the next four years, Oregon will need to come up with nearly $1.3 billion to keep its current Medicaid system functioning due to cuts and restrictions from the GOP’s 2025 federal tax and spending law, state health officials told lawmakers Wednesday.

Oregon 2028 ballot measure aims to ban corporate campaign contributions

By Julia Shumway

A proposed constitutional amendment would block corporations, unions and other groups from directly spending money on elections. (Photo by Getty Images)

Supporters of campaign contribution limits and transparency who have long been stymied at the Oregon Legislature will look to voters to block businesses, unions and other organizations from spending to influence elections.

States sue feds over endangered species rollbacks

By Alex Brown | Stateline

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist examines macroinvertebrates at the National Elk Refuge near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. A coalition of 21 attorneys general sued the agency Wednesday over rollbacks to the Endangered Species Act. (Photo by Kari Cieszkiewicz/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

A coalition of state attorneys general filed a pair of lawsuits Wednesday challenging the Trump administration’s rollbacks of protections for endangered species.

Trump plan would bar millions of Americans from voting by mail, states tell Supreme Court

By Jacob Fischler

The Democratic-led states and voting rights groups suing to block enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order to restrict mail-in voting warned in briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday the policy would have disastrous consequences for the upcoming midterm elections if it is allowed to move forward.